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Lebanon’s surprise signing of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) delimitation agreement with the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCA) without submitting it to Parliament has triggered a wave of legal challenges and political criticism, both domestically and regionally.
The long-pending agreement, first reached in 2007 but never ratified, was formally signed on Nov. 26 at a ceremony in Beirut’s Baabda Palace by Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayiz Rasamini and GCA leader Nikos Christodoulides.
While the Lebanese government argues the agreement will enhance maritime cooperation and energy exploration within its EEZ, the fact that it was not submitted for parliamentary approval has raised serious questions about its constitutional validity.
Legal experts interviewed by Anadolu Agency said the agreement, which affects state sovereignty and national security, cannot enter into force without legislative endorsement. They argued that bypassing Parliament may render the deal “unconstitutional” and “subject to annulment.”
Lebanese MP George Okais voiced strong opposition to the move, calling it a “serious constitutional violation.” In a statement on social media platform X, Okais cited Article 52 of the Lebanese Constitution, which stipulates that any agreement with financial or sovereign implications requires parliamentary ratification.
He warned that Minister Rasamini’s action could be challenged in court and annulled by the relevant judicial authorities.
Border issues scholar Dr. Issam Khalife said the agreement harms Lebanon’s interests and could result in the loss of 2,643 to 5,000 square kilometers of maritime territory, depending on the exact boundary coordinates used.
Khalife stressed that Parliament’s role is essential under Article 52, especially for international agreements. “The agreement signed on Wednesday is unconstitutional because it was not submitted to Parliament,” he said, adding that lawmakers could appeal to the Constitutional Council for its annulment.
Legal expert Ahmed Hasan echoed that position, stating: “An agreement concerning the delimitation of maritime borders cannot enter into force legally unless it is submitted to and approved by the Lebanese Parliament.” He emphasized that neither the president nor the Cabinet has the constitutional authority to bypass the legislature on such matters.
Experts also criticized the timing of the agreement, saying Lebanon should have first resolved its northern maritime border dispute with Syria. Khalife pointed out that while Lebanon and the GCA recognize “Point 7” as the maritime boundary, Syria only acknowledges up to “Point 5,” leaving the area between the two markers contested.
He also urged Lebanon to engage Türkiye in the delimitation process, given its maritime interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Türkiye swiftly condemned the agreement, accusing the Greek Cypriot side of unilaterally pursuing maritime deals that ignore the rights of Turkish Cypriots. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the GCA has repeatedly signed such agreements since 2003 without the involvement of Turkish Cypriots, whom Ankara views as co-equal partners on the island.
Keceli acknowledged that the agreement’s area lies outside Türkiye’s registered continental shelf, but said it still affects Cyprus-related maritime claims. “Any agreement signed by Lebanon or other littoral states with the Greek Cypriot Administration closely concerns the equal rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots,” he said.
Türkiye urged regional countries and the international community not to legitimize unilateral actions by the GCA, warning that such steps undermine regional stability.
Turkish Defense Ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk echoed the criticism, stating that any deal excluding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) violates its rights and undermines Lebanese interests.
“We believe that this agreement, which ignores the rights of the TRNC, also violates the interests of the Lebanese people,” Akturk said. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s readiness to cooperate with Lebanon on maritime matters.
The TRNC Foreign Ministry also rejected the deal, calling it “null and void,” and said all unilateral EEZ arrangements by the GCA lack legal standing.
Lebanon and the GCA originally reached an understanding on maritime boundaries in 2007, but the Lebanese Parliament failed to ratify it at the time. The process gained traction again after President Joseph Aoun’s visit to the GCA in July.
In 2022, Lebanon reached a U.S.-brokered maritime deal with Israel, ending years of indirect negotiations.
A technical committee was formed, and by September, delegations finalized the agreement text. The Cabinet formally approved it on Oct. 23.
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